© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Worcestershire
Acton Beauchamp now Herefordshire (St Giles) : Benjamin Dobson barrel
organ. Ref: ‘Parishes: Acton Beauchamp’, in: A History of the County of Worcester:
vol.4 (London, 1924) pp.224-7
*Alvechurch (St Lawrence) : Bates barrel organ. Transferred to Birmingham
Museum of Science & Technology.
Bayton (St Bartholomew) : Barrel organ. Ref: John Noake, A Rambler in
Worcestershire, or Stray Notes on Churches and Congregations (London, 1848-53),
III (1854) p.328
Bishampton (St James) : T.C. Bates barrel organ installed 1839.
Ref: Worcester Journal (21 Feb. 1839) p.2
Cleeve Prior (St Andrew) : Barrel organ installed 1823. Ref: Noake (1854) p.328
*Hagley (St John the Baptist) : Hill & Davison barrel organ installed 1838.
*Kempsey (St Mary the Virgin) : John Watlen barrel organ installed 1811. Sold 1834.
Ref: Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811) p.1; The Times (6 Jul. 1815); Worcester Herald (26 Jul. 1834) p.3
*Lindridge (St Lawrence) : G.M. Holdich barrel organ installed 1854. Converted to finger organ 1874.
Moseley (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1823; replaced with J.W. Walker improved barrel organ 1838, transferred to Yardley Wood
c.1850. Ref: Western Daily Press (22 Apr. 1895) p.7
Shrawley (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: Noake, I (1848) p.304
*South Littleton (St Michael) : Barrel organ. Sold c.1903. Ref: Evesham Journal (1 Aug. 1931)
Stourbridge (St Thomas) : Barrel organ. Ref: www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-thomas-stourbridge [accessed 6 Jan. 2025]
*Strensham (St John the Baptist) : Now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Barrel organ. Ref: Noake, I (1848) p.261
Tardebigge (St Bartholomew) : John Banfield barrel organ installed 1819. Converted to finger organ 1847. Ref: NPOR, N00540
*Welland (St James) : T.C. Bates & Son barrel organ. Ref: Noake, II (1851) p.149
Wribbenhall (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Noake, II (1851) p.149
Yardley Wood (Christ Church) : J.W. Walker improved barrel organ transferred from Moseley c.1850.
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) pp.97-9
Photo: M. Kilbey
Bayton
© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Worcestershire
Acton Beauchamp now Herefordshire (St Giles) : Benjamin
Dobson barrel organ. Ref: ‘Parishes: Acton Beauchamp’, in: A
History of the County of Worcester: vol.4 (London, 1924)
pp.224-7
*Alvechurch (St Lawrence) : Bates barrel organ. Transferred
to Birmingham Museum of Science & Technology.
Bayton (St Bartholomew) : Barrel organ. Ref: John Noake, A
Rambler in Worcestershire, or Stray Notes on Churches and
Congregations (London, 1848-53), III (1854) p.328
Bishampton (St James) : T.C. Bates barrel organ installed
1839. Ref: Worcester Journal (21 Feb. 1839) p.2
Cleeve Prior (St Andrew) : Barrel organ installed 1823.
Ref: Noake (1854) p.328
*Hagley (St John the Baptist) : Hill & Davison barrel organ
installed 1838.
*Kempsey (St Mary the Virgin) : John Watlen barrel organ
installed 1811. Sold 1834. Ref: Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811)
p.1; The Times (6 Jul. 1815); Worcester Herald (26 Jul. 1834) p.3
*Lindridge (St Lawrence) : G.M. Holdich barrel organ
installed 1854. Converted to finger organ 1874.
Moseley (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1823; replaced
with J.W. Walker improved barrel organ 1838, transferred to
Yardley Wood c.1850.
Ref: Western Daily Press (22 Apr. 1895) p.7
Shrawley (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: Noake, I (1848) p.304
*South Littleton (St Michael) : Barrel organ. Sold c.1903.
Ref: Evesham Journal (1 Aug. 1931)
Stourbridge (St Thomas) : Barrel organ. Ref:
www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-thomas-
stourbridge [accessed 6 Jan. 2025]
*Strensham (St John the Baptist) : Now in the care of the
Churches Conservation Trust. Barrel organ.
Ref: Noake, I (1848) p.261
Tardebigge (St Bartholomew) : John Banfield barrel organ
installed 1819. Converted to finger organ 1847.
Ref: NPOR, N00540
*Welland (St James) : T.C. Bates & Son barrel organ.
Ref: Noake, II (1851) p.149
Wribbenhall (All Saints) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Noake, II (1851) p.149
Yardley Wood (Christ Church) : J.W. Walker improved barrel
organ transferred from Moseley c.1850.
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) pp.97-9
